Equal Pay Act - Mississippi

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

Effective July 1, 2022, Mississippi joins the other 49 states when it implements a pay equity law. The “Mississippi Equal Pay for Equal Work Act,” akin to the federal equal pay law, says that employers may not pay employees a lower wage because of their sex. Employers are allowed to pay different wages based on reasons such as seniority, a merit system, production metrics, and “any other factor other than sex.” Mississippi law deviates from other, more employee-friendly states (e.g., California) in some ways. For instance, Mississippi law doesn’t prohibit employers from basing wage decisions on salary history.

State

Contacts

None.

Regulations

None.

Federal

Contact

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Regulations

29 CFR Part 1620, The Equal Pay Act

29 CFR 1621, Procedures — The Equal Pay Act